JPH0341938A - Image display system for ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily observe an image of the maximum/the minimum of contraction of the heart by writing image data into an image memory extending over plural pulses, and also, storing a time phase at the time of write, reading out the data in order of a prescribed time phase at the time of read-out, and executing a slow motion display or a still picture display. CONSTITUTION:Image data is written successively in an image memory 2, and also, a time phase difference detecting circuit 4 detects and stores a time phase difference of an image updating signal and an R wave of an electrocardiogram. At the time of read-out, the image data is fetched successively and continuously in order of a prescribed time phase in these stored time phases and brought to slow motion display, or the image data is fetched one by one in order of the time phase and brought to still picture display. Accordingly, with regard to the image data written in the image memory extending over plural pulses, it is fetched in order of the time phase from an R wave, etc., of the electrocardiogram and brought to slow motion display or still picture display, by which an image of the maximum/the minimum of contraction of heart in the pulses can be easily observed and can be smoothly displayed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] An image display method for displaying images of an ultrasound diagnostic device. Ultrasonic images are sequentially stored in an image memory over a plurality of heartbeats, and image data is read out from these in a predetermined time phase order. display,
Ultrasonic image data is sequentially written to the image memory over multiple heartbeats, and these data are R of electrocardiogram at time
Each time phase from the wave is memorized, and when read out, image data is sequentially and continuously retrieved from a predetermined time phase among these memorized time phases and displayed in slow motion, or one by one in the order of the time phase (or in the reverse direction). tR is used to retrieve two image data and display them as still images.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an image display method for displaying images of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Prior Art and Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, multiple images are sequentially stored, and when the image is frozen according to an operator's instruction, the previous image from this freeze phase is used as a moving image. Alternatively, there is a so-called cine loop function that displays a still image. With this cine loop function, it is now possible to easily select and observe images obtained at the optimal timing from among continuously stored images, without having to synchronize with biological signals such as electrocardiograms. Particularly in color Doppler, which displays blood flow information in two dimensions, this function is essential for observing instantaneous changes in blood flow conditions. In particular, when determining the size of the heart when it contracts the most or the maximum area of regurgitation using color Doppler, it is necessary to update many images in order to make comparisons over multiple heartbeat cycles. There was a problem in that it was difficult to determine the size and maximum backflow area.

In addition, color Doppler requires a lot of time to obtain one image, and because blood flow changes very quickly, it is not possible to obtain enough frames for measurement. There was a problem in that the images did not appear to change smoothly even if they were played back sequentially.

The present invention sequentially stores ultrasound images in an image memory over a plurality of heartbeats, reads out image data from these in a predetermined time phase order, and displays the image data sequentially.
! The purpose is to make small images easier to observe and display smoothly.

[Means to solve problems]

Means for solving the problem will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, image memory 2 is a memory in which ultrasound image data is written over a plurality of heartbeats.

The time phase difference detection circuit 4 is 1. This detects the time phase difference between the R wave of the electrocardiogram and the image update signal (image writing signal).

This detected time phase difference is stored in association with the image memory address (memory number).

The display section 7 is for displaying images.

[Effect]

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention sequentially writes image data into an image memory 1, and a time phase difference detection circuit 4 detects and stores the time phase difference between an image update signal and an R wave of an electrocardiogram. Out of the stored time phases, image data is sequentially retrieved in a predetermined time phase order and displayed in slow motion.
Alternatively, image data is extracted one by one in time phase order (or in reverse direction) and displayed as a still image.

Therefore, by extracting the image data written in the image memory over multiple heartbeats in the order of the time phase from the R wave of the electrocardiogram and displaying it in slow motion or as a still image, the maximum/minimum contraction of the heart within a heartbeat can be calculated. It becomes possible to easily observe images and display them smoothly.

〔Example〕

Next, the configuration and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail using FIGS. 1 to 5.

In FIG. 1, an ultrasound transmitting/receiving unit 1 transmits ultrasound pulses to a living body, and outputs image data for a B-mode image or a color Doppler image based on received signals that are reflected and scattered by the living body and returned. It is.

Image memory 2, Wi output from ultrasonic transmitting/receiving section l
This is an image memory in which copying data is written in response to an image update signal, and is an image memory for writing, for example, about 64 images. In addition, during normal real-time display,
The latest image data is sent to the display unit 7 in response to the image update signal, and the latest image is displayed on the CRT? Display on -1.

The electrocardiogram meter 3 detects the electric potential generated from the heart from the body surface and outputs the R wave as a trigger.

The time phase difference detection circuit 4 detects the time phase difference from the R wave trigger to the image update signal.

The time phase difference storage section 5 stores the time phase difference detected by the time phase difference detection circuit 4 in association with the memory number of the image data written in the image memory 2 (Figs. 4 and 5). reference).

After issuing a freeze instruction to stop writing image data to the image memory 2, the image playback sequencer 6
Image memory address (memory number) written after l
is read, and a slow morph display or a still image display is performed in response to the instruction (described later with reference to FIG. 3).

The display section 7 displays image data on the CRT 7-1.

FIG. 2 shows a conceptual explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2(a) is an ideal blood flow representation of reverse flow, which is the blood flow representation that this embodiment attempts to display. The electrocardiogram waveforms are sequentially rearranged and displayed in time phase order starting from the R wave. The shaded area indicates the degree of cardiac contraction.

FIG. 2(b) shows a blood flow representation obtained by normal color Doppler measurement. For example, at heartbeat 1, a blood flow expression as shown by diagonal lines in the figure is measured.

Similarly, blood flow expressions as shown are measured at heartbeats 2 and 3. When these blood flow expressions obtained from heartbeat 1 to heartbeat 3 are rearranged and displayed in the order of time phase from the R wave of the electrocardiogram, the ideal blood flow expression is displayed in slow motion or as shown in Figure 2 (a). Still images are displayed one by one (see explanation in Figure 3).

Next, in accordance with the order shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be explained in detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, ■ performs measurement. This means sequentially writing the image data (B-mode image, color Doppler image, etc.) output from the ultrasound transmitting/receiving unit 1 in FIG. 1 into the image memory 2, and also The detection circuit 4 detects the time phase difference up to the image update signal using the R wave output from the electrocardiogram monitor 3 as a trigger, and the time phase difference storage unit 5 stores this time phase difference in the memory number (ii! ii image) written in the image memory 2. memory address) (see memory number in FIG. 4).

@ specifies a freeze. This means that in response to the freeze designation from the operator, writing to the image memory 2 is stopped and the image data written so far is stored, and the time phase storage unit 5 is As shown in FIG. 4(a), the time phase difference is stored in association with memory No. 1 to memory No. 30.

0 sorts in the order of time phase, calculates the time difference, and stores it in the table. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 4(B), each memory N is sorted in descending order of time difference (FIG. 4(A)).

For example, the automatic display interval ratio of the first memory No. 1 in FIG. "10' is the time phase difference "20" of the second memory No. "17" to the time phase difference "20" of the first memory No. "1".
It was calculated by subtracting 10''.

[Phase] refers to a table and sequentially displays image data of memory numbers in response to a slow motion instruction. In this case, the image reproduction sequencer 6 refers to, for example, the table shown in FIG.

The so-called slow-mo run display is displayed sequentially on the display section 7 at intervals proportional to the automatic display interval ratio of
This represents what is done as shown in Figure (a), and thus 1
It becomes possible to smoothly and minutely observe changes within a heartbeat.

In [phase], in response to a still image display instruction, the operator positions the cursor, for example, on the R wave in [phase], advances the table by +1 or -1 with the switch with ■, and displays a so-called still image. For example, the images of each time phase shown in Fig. 2 (a) are displayed one by one as still images,
It becomes possible to easily select and observe an image of a desired time phase (! & expression of blood flow during large volume and minimum contraction).

FIG. 4 shows an example of a sequence according to the present invention.

FIG. 4(A) shows the time phase difference (time phase difference from the R wave of the electrocardiogram) with respect to the memory NO at the time when the image data is sequentially written into the image memory 2 and frozen.

Figure 4 (b) sorts the memory numbers in descending order of the time phase difference in Figure 4 (a), and also calculates and automatically displays the difference in time phase difference between each memory number and the next memory number. This is the interval ratio.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a sequence according to the present invention.

This is when the electrocardiogram was changed to "-150m5".

FIG. 5(A) shows the time phase difference (time phase difference from the R wave of the electrocardiogram) with respect to the memory No. at the time when the image data is sequentially written into the image memory 2 and frozen. Here, 1
Since the electrocardiogram change time is set to "-150m5", memory No. "B", memory No. "161", memory No. "2"
A negative time phase difference is stored in memory No. 3'' and memory No. ``24''.Other than that, it is the same as in FIG. 4(a).

Figure 5 (b) sorts the memory numbers in descending order of time phase difference in Figure 4 (a), and also calculates and automatically displays the difference in time phase difference between each memory number and the next memory number. This is the interval ratio.

In this case, since the time when the electrocardiogram was changed is set to "-15 () mS", the data are sorted in ascending order from "-150 mS" as the base point, and are sequentially slowed down starting from this base point. It is possible to display motion or still images.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, image data is written to the image memory over multiple heartbeats, and the time phase from the R wave of the electrocardiogram at the time of writing is stored, and when read out, it is read out in a predetermined time phase order and slowed down. Since it uses a configuration that displays motion or still images, you can easily observe the maximum/minimum image of the heart's contraction during a heartbeat, easily observe the image with the maximum area of regurgitation, and smoothly You can observe changing images, etc.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the present invention.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show sequence examples according to the present invention. In the figure, l represents an ultrasound transmitting/receiving section, 2 an image memory, 3 an electrocardiograph, 4 a time phase difference detection circuit, 5 a time phase difference storage section, 6 an image reproduction sequencer, and 7 a display section.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an image display method that displays images from an ultrasound diagnostic device, ultrasound image data is stored in image memory over multiple heartbeats (2)
R of the electrocardiogram at the time of these writings.
Each time phase from the wave is memorized, and when read out, image data is sequentially and continuously retrieved from a predetermined time phase among these memorized time phases and displayed in slow motion, or one by one in the order of the time phase (or in the reverse direction). 1. An image display method for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, characterized in that the image data is extracted and displayed as a still image. (2) The image display method of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim (1), characterized in that when the slow motion display is performed, the images are displayed at intervals proportional to the time phase difference between the images. .